Many of us will have heard of the legendary Moscow Mule. It’s a classic cocktail and it’s been around forever. It is a cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The Moscow Mule is generally served in copper mugs and is one of the simplest and most delicious cocktails ever.
But what does all this have to do with gin, I hear you ask? Well, there is a special variation of this drink for gin lovers and, just like the city it was born in, it was so good, they named it twice. It’s called (for obvious reasons), the Gin-Gin Mule.
The beautiful “love child” of a Moscow Mule and a Mojito
Invented in New York in the year 2000, this delicious drink is the beautiful love child of a Moscow Mule and a Mojito, so it has good genes! But this is more than just a change of booze. The subtle difference is that it substitutes gin for vodka and adds the muddled mintiness of a Mojito to create a gorgeous taste and flavour combination that, in my opinion, far exceeds the beauty of its two elderly parents.
Just imagine this – a muddle of sugary mintiness at the bottom, offset by the spiciness and bubbles of a freshly opened bottle of ginger beer (we recommend Fentimans or Fever Tree) with a little citrus tartness to give it a refreshing edge and a big blast of a decent london dry gin such as Beefeater or Bombay Sapphire.
The serve
Traditionally, a Moscow Mule is served in a small, handbeaten copper mug, but this drink works almost as well in a highball glass or a tumbler. But the copper mug is better for sure. Not only does it look good but it adds a bit of novelty to your regular drinking approach. And apparently, drinking from a cold copper mug maintains and even increases the bubbliness of the ginger beer, ensuring that your drink will be sparkling every time. You can pick up a set of four of these beautiful, hand beaten copper mugs for less than £20 and guarantee that the sparkle will remain right up to the last drop.
The verdict
Wow, Gin-Gin Mule is a great drink and its parents should be proud. No wonder this quickly became a contemporary classic when it was first introduced to customers at New York’s Pegu Club 20 years ago. Deliciously spicy and citrusy at the same time, the fresh, muddled mint takes it to another level altogether. We cannot recommend this cocktail highly enough, but make sure you use freshly opened, high quality ginger beer to make sure the fizz is truly fizzing!
What could be better on a cold winter’s day than a warming, comforting bowl of pasta to heat you up from the inside? How about a bowl of pasta that has gin as one of its main ingredients? Got your attention, didn’t we! There can be few more comforting things in the world than a hot, steaming bowl of Italian pasta served up on a cold day. There’s something about Italian cooking that goes right to your soul. Hearty, robust and simple. So, we thought we’d share a classic pasta recipe with you that makes use of one of our favourite ingredients: gin.
This is pasta the way your Italian grandmother would make it (if you had one!). The sort of food that sticks to your ribs and feels like a giant hug on a cold day. Plus, this recipe is not only hearty and flavoursome, but it is meat-free, so everyone can enjoy it. A tantalising combination of sweet, fruity tomatoes, wholesome pasta and rich cream, it’s really easy to make and will give you a warm glow from the inside to help you to do battle with the cold weather outside.
Gin versus vodka: you decide
Many of you may have seen Italian recipes that call for vodka as a main ingredient. Vodka Penne is probably the best known example. But Italy is now making better gins than ever before and we think it’s best to leave the vodka to the Russians. Like vodka, gin is a colourless spirit. But unlike vodka, gin has a complexity of flavours that poor old vodka can only aspire to. To start with, gin’s predominant flavour must be juniper, so it already has a big edge in the flavour stakes. This means that you have a solid target to bounce the additional ingredients off – and the results will be surprising and delicious.
You’re 15 minutes from Italian heaven
So, here we go – a delicious, vegetarian pasta dish that you can whip up from scratch in as little as 15 minutes. Made with cream, tomatoes, chili peppers, rosemary (and most importantly, gin). We recommend Malfy Originale as the perfect accompaniment for this dish, but any gin with a strong flavour profile will do. We chose Malfy Originale because it is a classic, dry gin, with eight different botanicals to tease your tastebuds. This gin is robust enough to rise above the competing flavours of this dish and complex enough to add a savoury juniper twist that will elevate this classic Italian dish to another level.
Down a narrow, twisted alley in Barcelona’s ancient and atmospheric El Born barrio, lies a little bar dedicated to all things gin. It’s hard to find if you don’t know where you’re going, but it’s well worth the effort once you find it. In the city that reinvented gin for the 21st century, Dux Bar … Continued
Notes from a gin dog In the latest edition of the Ruddles gin report, our faithful gin dog has been sniffing out some news that you might find ginteresting. Winter is not his favourite time of year and lockdown hasn’t helped. He’s been keeping himself busy scouring the world’s media for the gin stories you … Continued
We stumbled across a lovely little gin the other day. It’s from right here in Catalunya and frankly it was too good for us not to share. Go nuts! Introducing NUT gin, craft-distilled in the Emporda region of Catalunya nestled between the rugged drama of the Pyrenean mountains and the cooling breezes of the Mediterranean … Continued
Many of us will have heard of the legendary Moscow Mule. It’s a classic cocktail and it’s been around forever. It is a cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The Moscow Mule is generally served in copper mugs and is one of the simplest and … Continued
Smoky ice cubes are indeed a thing. And they’re so easy to make. You could go all out and spend a day preparing a fire, smoking the wood and delicately infusing the ice. Or, you could simply buy a small bottle of liquid smoke and add a few drops to your ice cubes. Bingo!
This little hack is a gift from us to you – we know you’re busy and who has the time to do this from scratch? As the ice cubes inevitably melt, your drink becomes infused with a gentle smokiness that can enhance strong, complex cocktails such as a Negroni or a gin Old Fashioned. It’s a little magic trick that will impress your friends. For more inspiration, check out our free Top 10 gin bartending hacks.
Here is a great recipe that will draw out the smoky flavour from the ice to really lift your cocktail out of the ordinary.
Ingredients:
10-15 smoky ice cubes
1 lime (cut into 8 wedges)
90ml of gin (citrus gins work best)
Premium tonic water
Method:
Squeeze the juice of two lime wedges per glass
Fill the glass with the remaining lime wedges and fill to top with smokey ice cubes
Add the gin and top up with tonic
Garnish with half of the thin lime slice and serve immediately
Congratulations. You are a survivor. You’ve just made it through one of the most challenging years in living memory and that in itself is quite an achievement. It’s been tough, many of us have not been so lucky. We’ve been separated from our families, isolated from our communities and normal life has been put on hold until this virus has been beaten. So, in a year where it doesn’t seem like we have a lot to celebrate, there is one thing we know we can raise a glass of gin punch to – the start of 2021!
Keeping your spirits up
And while we recognise that this New Year’s Eve will be a slightly more modest affair than usual and the big parties have been put on hold, there is still every reason to keep your spirits up with a few gin-based drinks. We’ve already introduced you to the delights of the Spanish 75 (a twist on the French 75 using cava instead of champagne for a smoother, better balanced drink).
Get the party going with a gin punch!
We also mentioned that we’d be sharing a gin punch recipe for New Year’s Eve that is easy to make, deceptively strong and gets the party off to a quick start. Plus, it has the added advantage of eliminating the need to constantly go back and make fresh drinks. Just make a big batch in advance and dip in whenever you need a refill. So, after some exhaustive research, here’s a really easy and delicious gin punch recipe that is guaranteed to get the party going. With only around 200 Kcals per glass, this recipe will serve 8 people and can be rustled up in as little as 10 minutes. It is fruity, spicy and strong and the gentle heat of the ginger beer along with the sweetness of the pomegranate gives it a lovely, warming winter feel – just right for New Year’s Eve.
Easy to make, easy to scale!
Plus, it can easily be scaled up by doubling (or tripling) the ingredients. All you need is a bigger bowl. We think this recipe lends itself to a Twisted Nose gin. This Hampshire-gin is distilled with the gentle warmth of locally grown watercress for a little extra peppery depth. We think this is the perfect way to dial up the flavour this New Year’s Eve – and we’re pretty sure that after a few of these, you’ll be dancing at midnight. Just make sure you’re socially distanced!!
Happy 2021, gin lovers – you deserve the best!
Gin punch recipe
Ingredients:
400g of gin (Twisted Nose will work well with this)
Down a narrow, twisted alley in Barcelona’s ancient and atmospheric El Born barrio, lies a little bar dedicated to all things gin. It’s hard to find if you don’t know where you’re going, but it’s well worth the effort once you find it. In the city that reinvented gin for the 21st century, Dux Bar … Continued
Notes from a gin dog In the latest edition of the Ruddles gin report, our faithful gin dog has been sniffing out some news that you might find ginteresting. Winter is not his favourite time of year and lockdown hasn’t helped. He’s been keeping himself busy scouring the world’s media for the gin stories you … Continued
We stumbled across a lovely little gin the other day. It’s from right here in Catalunya and frankly it was too good for us not to share. Go nuts! Introducing NUT gin, craft-distilled in the Emporda region of Catalunya nestled between the rugged drama of the Pyrenean mountains and the cooling breezes of the Mediterranean … Continued
Many of us will have heard of the legendary Moscow Mule. It’s a classic cocktail and it’s been around forever. It is a cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The Moscow Mule is generally served in copper mugs and is one of the simplest and … Continued
Who doesn’t like cake? I suspect most of us do – especially if that cake is baked with all the boozy goodness of gin! This delicious, moist fruity spiced cake is made with Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla gin (for an extra hit of orange). Its buttery flavour is boosted by a rich mixture of gin-soaked fruit and raisins, and then warmed up with a blast of ginger. It’s then topped with a deliciously sweet and citrus gin, sugar and Clementine icing that you can slowly drizzle over this delicious treat while it’s still warm and just out of the oven. It’s making my mouth water just writing about it.
So, if you’re still looking for some extra home-made treats to serve to your loved ones this Christmas, give this recipe a try. And if you’ve still got room in that strange space between Christmas and New Year’s Eve, it’s the perfect time to dig put the old chef’s apron and get your hands dirty in the kitchen (accompanied by a large gin-based beverage, of course!)
In fact, this is a great recipe all year round, especially when paired with a glass of Tanqueray Flor de Sevilla as you lovingly stir all those gorgeous ingredients. We’ll drink to that!
Down a narrow, twisted alley in Barcelona’s ancient and atmospheric El Born barrio, lies a little bar dedicated to all things gin. It’s hard to find if you don’t know where you’re going, but it’s well worth the effort once you find it. In the city that reinvented gin for the 21st century, Dux Bar … Continued
Notes from a gin dog In the latest edition of the Ruddles gin report, our faithful gin dog has been sniffing out some news that you might find ginteresting. Winter is not his favourite time of year and lockdown hasn’t helped. He’s been keeping himself busy scouring the world’s media for the gin stories you … Continued
We stumbled across a lovely little gin the other day. It’s from right here in Catalunya and frankly it was too good for us not to share. Go nuts! Introducing NUT gin, craft-distilled in the Emporda region of Catalunya nestled between the rugged drama of the Pyrenean mountains and the cooling breezes of the Mediterranean … Continued
Many of us will have heard of the legendary Moscow Mule. It’s a classic cocktail and it’s been around forever. It is a cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The Moscow Mule is generally served in copper mugs and is one of the simplest and … Continued
Matt Preston was for many years the flamboyant, charismatic and unmistakable face of MasterChef Australia. But Matt Preston is a true Brit. I know, because I went to school with him many years ago. Since then, we have ended up in different places. I ended up in beautiful Barcelona, where, amongst other things, I started writing a gin blog. Matt moved to Australia, built up a brilliant reputation as a respected food critic, wrote a weekly column in some of Australia’s most popular newspapers and then became the star of one of the most popular cooking shows in the world.
Cravats and cooking
Matt is also a senior editor for Delicious and Taste Magazine and has written four best-selling cookbooks. Along the way, he’s picked up a cult following from loyal international fans who love his flamboyant style and exuberant, refreshing and spirited approach to cooking. His oversized personality is typified by his trademark cravat: a 19th century-style statement that helped him to stand out at school, all those years ago.
So, when we spotted that Matt had created a delicious cherry trifle, perfect for Christmas and Boxing Day, we couldn’t keep the recipe to ourselves. Especially since the key ingredient here appears to be gin.
So, what exactly is a trifle and where did it come from?
The story of trifle
Traditionally, a trifle is a cold dessert made in a large bowl from layers of fruit, sponge fingers (traditionally soaked in sherry), fruit-flavoured jelly and custard, topped with cream. Usually it consists of three or four creamy, fruity, delicious layers. Trifles have been around for years. In fact, the term was first used way back in the 16th century, but a more recognisable version, including the jelly and the sponge, started to appear in the 18th century. Traditionally, trifles contain a little bit of booze and I’m pleased to say that Matt Preston’s boozy Christmas trifle takes it up a notch by substituting a decent slug of gin for the traditional sherry. And that suits us just fine.
A festive family favourite
The result is a firm family favourite with everybody waiting to dive in at the first available moment. Youngsters love Christmas trifle, grannies love it and so does everybody in between. It’s sweet, fruity, comforting and colourful. But most of all, it is absolutely delicious. In our household, we’re usually too full of Christmas pudding to even consider this on Christmas day. But it always plays a starring role in our Boxing Day celebrations and the trifle lives on in the fridge until New Year, so dig in while it lasts.
Ditch the sherry. It’s gin time!
Matt Preston’s boozy Christmas trifle is a little special. He chooses cherries as the main fruit, substitutes gin for sherry, adds a few exotic elements such as toasted coriander seeds and crushed juniper berries, and builds it all around layers of succulent panettone.
Matt, thank you for this great recipe and for your services to gin. And if you read this and ever find yourself passing through Barcelona… I’ll provide the gin if you make the trifle!
You can follow Matt Preston on Twitter or check out his website.
Recommended gin: a decent Old Tom, such as Haymans Old Tom will work well in this boozy dessert. And if you want to dial up the flavour even further, you could even try a lemon gin such as Malfi Gin con Limone, which should boost the citrus flavours.
Christmas trifle recipe
Ingredients:
1.5 kg of pitted cherries (fresh or frozen) plus 500 g fresh cherries, halved and pitted
460 g of caster sugar
2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and lightly crushed
1 tsp juniper berries, lightly crushed
20 g gelatine leaves
1 cup (250 ml) gin, plus 2 tbs extra
Juice of two lemons (strained)
2 cups (500 ml) thickened cream
1 tsp vanilla extract
1/2 tsp ground mixed spice
10 egg yolks
1/4 cup (35 g) cornflour
1/2 cup (70 g) hazelnuts
1 cup (320 g) lemon curd
450 g panettone, crusts removed, sliced into 1cm thick slices
1/2 cup (125 ml) elderflower cordial
2 cups (500 ml) double cream
Elderflowers (optional)
Method:
Place cherries, 200 g sugar, coriander seeds, juniper berries and 600 ml water in a pan. Bring to boil, stirring to dissolve sugar, then reduce heat and simmer for 15 minutes. Meanwhile, soak gelatin in cold water to soften. Pass cherry mixture through a fine sieve into a large jug, gently pressing cherries to release juice (discard solids). Measure 1 litre (4 cups) of liquid for jelly, reserving separately. Squeeze excess water from gelatin, add to hot cherry liquid and stir until dissolved. Stir in gin (we recommend trying this with an Old Tom gin, such as Haymans Old Tom) and lemon juice. Pour into a 3.5-litre trifle dish. Chill for 2 hours to set.
To make custard, place milk, thickened cream, vanilla and mixed spice into a heavy-based pan over medium heat and, stirring occasionally, bring to boil just below boiling point. Remove from heat. In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, cornflour and 110 g sugar until thick and pale. Whisking continuously, slowly pour cream mixture into egg mixture. Return mixture to the pan and whisk over medium-low heat for 3 minutes or until thickened. Transfer to a stand mixer and whisk on medium for 15 minutes or until cool. Cover and chill.
3. Line a baking tray with baking paper. Place hazelnuts, 75 g sugar and 1/3 cup (80 ml) water in a saucepan over medium heat and cook, stirring continuously for 8-10 minutes until sugar crystallises. Pour onto tray, cool, then roughly chop. 4. Spread lemon curd on one side of each slice of panettone and sandwich slices together, curd-side in. Cut each into 6 squares. 5. Place reserved cherry liquid, extra gin (yay!), 1/4 cup (60 ml) cordial and remaining 1/3 cup (75 g) of caster sugar in a small saucepan, bring to boil and cook for 4 minutes or until reduced by half. Place fresh cherries in a bowl, pour hot liquid on top and chill until completely cool. 6. Beat double cream and remaining cordial in a stand mixer to soft peaks. 7. To assemble: pour chilled custard over jelly. Scatter panettone over and spoon cherries and syrup on top. Finish with elderflower cream, then scatter with frosted hazelnuts and elderflowers. 8. Pour yourself an extra glass of that gin and wait for Christmas (if you can….).
Written by Steve (with a little help from Ruddles, the gin dog!)
Don’t forget to follow us on our facebook community page to join in the gin discussion.
Down a narrow, twisted alley in Barcelona’s ancient and atmospheric El Born barrio, lies a little bar dedicated to all things gin. It’s hard to find if you don’t know where you’re going, but it’s well worth the effort once you find it. In the city that reinvented gin for the 21st century, Dux Bar … Continued
Notes from a gin dog In the latest edition of the Ruddles gin report, our faithful gin dog has been sniffing out some news that you might find ginteresting. Winter is not his favourite time of year and lockdown hasn’t helped. He’s been keeping himself busy scouring the world’s media for the gin stories you … Continued
We stumbled across a lovely little gin the other day. It’s from right here in Catalunya and frankly it was too good for us not to share. Go nuts! Introducing NUT gin, craft-distilled in the Emporda region of Catalunya nestled between the rugged drama of the Pyrenean mountains and the cooling breezes of the Mediterranean … Continued
Many of us will have heard of the legendary Moscow Mule. It’s a classic cocktail and it’s been around forever. It is a cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The Moscow Mule is generally served in copper mugs and is one of the simplest and … Continued
Gin seems to be everywhere these days and increasingly, it’s popping up in delicious, easy to prepare recipes. Whether you’re looking for a booze-soaked cake to cheer you up on a dark autumn afternoon or a hearty stew to keep the cold winter weather at bay, somewhere there’s a gin recipe for you. And when gin does make an appearance, its junipery bitterness and complex botanicals can elevate even the most ordinary dish into something a bit special. Gin delivers an extra layer of character that will keep your guests coming back for more. Some people have more of a sweet tooth and prefer gin-soaked trifles or gin and lemon drizzle cakes. Others are partial to more savoury treats such as casseroles and even curries. All of these delicious dishes (and many more) are suitable candidates for gin cooking.
10 minutes to prep, 60 minutes to sip
That’s why we wanted to share a quick and easy baked salmon recipe that is healthy and can be knocked up with as little as 10 minutes prep time. This is important, because it leaves you with a full 60 minutes in which to select a decent gin, find an appropriate garnish and top up your favourite glass with a freshly poured tonic water. Then sit back and watch while the salmon slowly roasts in the oven. This is the perfect way to enjoy cooking with gin and this recipe is so easy to make.
Bertha’s revenge?
First of all (and most importantly) choose a decent gin – the more aromatic the better. This easy gin recipe will infuse your salmon with a gin flavour that perfectly complements the creamy richness of the salmon. We recommend using a bottle of Bertha’s Revenge (paid link). This is a complex, charismatic gin from Ireland made from milk provided by the offspring of Bertha, Ireland’s most famous cow (check out our recent review of Bertha’s Revenge to get the full details).
But for now, all you need to know is that it will infuse your salmon with a buttery, juniper-rich flavour, balanced by the soft citrus notes from the gin. Bertha’s revenge says on the label that their final ingredient is “plenty of laughter” – a sentiment that we heartily endorse every time you put your chef’s apron on.
So, here’s the simple recipe – and don’t forget to pour that chef’s drink as soon as the oven door has closed!
To prepare the fish, rinse the fillets and pat dry with paper towel. Rub lightly with cooking oil
Mix together the salt, sugar, lemon zest, thyme and pepper. Add gin. The mixture should resemble wet sand. Remember, this rub can be stored for one week (in an airtight container).
Rub the salmon fillets with the mixture using around 1 tablespoon per fillet.
Wrap fillets tight in plastic wrap and refrigerate for between one and two hours.
Cook fish right away (or store in fridge for one day). Bake at 225F for 25-30 minutes. Begin to check fish after 20 minutes.
Pour yourself another well deserved G&T and eat your baked salmon while still piping hot!
We seem to have developed a bit of a monkey theme this week. So in that spirit, here’s the bizarre story behind one of the world’s most famous gin cocktails – the Monkey Gland.
This classic cocktail was first mixed up at Harry’s New York Bar in Paris. Let’s take a step back in time to the 1920s, when legendary bartender Harry MacElhone was starting to build a reputation for himself in the heart of Paris. He was well known for mixing up fabulous American style cocktails for his glamorous roster of international clients. In 1922, in a clever marketing move, he thought he’d collect his best recipes and publish them in a book of cocktails which he called “Harry’s ABC of mixing cocktails”. The book contained one particular drink with a strange name and a bizarre story.
Building the Monkey gland legend
The art of cocktail making isn’t simply about mixing the right ingredients, there is also the little matter of building a reputation. Harry knew that and concocted a wickedly strong cocktail by mixing classic London Dry gin with a little orange juice and a few dashes of Grenadine. To top it off, he added the final detail – 3 dashes of high strength Absinthe to guarantee an out of this world experience. He mixed it all up, shook it with ice and poured it into a Martini glass. It was delicious, but he knew he had to have a name for it if he was to create a classic cocktail. He called it the Monkey Gland – and he took inspiration from a bizarre source.
Monkey glands, Viagra and a Russian scientist
In those pre-Viagra days, a Russian scientist called Serge Voronoff was experimenting with ways of maintaining men’s “staying power” and he hit on a very strange technique. He grafted monkey glands onto men in a bid to boost their virility. While this was a bit extreme (and there is no evidence that this technique actually worked) Harry was inspired. He knew that sex sells, so in honour of Prof. Voronoff, he decided to name his new drink “The Monkey Gland” with all the promises and hope that a stimulating drink like this brings to men of a certain age.
It has been a bartender’s classic ever since. While we can’t vouch for the medical benefits of this drink, we can highly recommend it for its flavour and strength. For the prefect pour, we recommend making it with a good, classic London Dry such as Sipsmith [paid link].
Handle with care
Beware of the Absinthe – it’s not to everyone’s taste, but it packs a real alcoholic punch, so handle with care.
Bottoms up!
Here’s our classic recipe for a traditional Monkey Gland:
Ingredients:
3 dashes of absinthe
3 dashes of Grenadine
⅓ orange juice
⅔ London Dry gin
Method:
Shake well (over ice) and stir into cocktail glass. Garnish with an orange slice or a twist of burnt orange peel for a little extra flavour. Enjoy!
Written by Steve (with a little help from Ruddles, the gin dog!)
Don’t forget to follow us on our facebook community page to join in the gin discussion.
Down a narrow, twisted alley in Barcelona’s ancient and atmospheric El Born barrio, lies a little bar dedicated to all things gin. It’s hard to find if you don’t know where you’re going, but it’s well worth the effort once you find it. In the city that reinvented gin for the 21st century, Dux Bar … Continued
Notes from a gin dog In the latest edition of the Ruddles gin report, our faithful gin dog has been sniffing out some news that you might find ginteresting. Winter is not his favourite time of year and lockdown hasn’t helped. He’s been keeping himself busy scouring the world’s media for the gin stories you … Continued
We stumbled across a lovely little gin the other day. It’s from right here in Catalunya and frankly it was too good for us not to share. Go nuts! Introducing NUT gin, craft-distilled in the Emporda region of Catalunya nestled between the rugged drama of the Pyrenean mountains and the cooling breezes of the Mediterranean … Continued
Many of us will have heard of the legendary Moscow Mule. It’s a classic cocktail and it’s been around forever. It is a cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The Moscow Mule is generally served in copper mugs and is one of the simplest and … Continued
Some things are made for each other. Let’s face it, where would gin be without tonic? Where would fish be without chips? Where would salt be without pepper? But what if we could have the best of all worlds and use our favourite drink to make one of our favourite dishes. As the current gin boom continues unabated, our drink of choice is appearing in more and more popular recipes – some expected and some not. Over the years, we’ve tried gin ice cream and gin cheesecake. We’ve nibbled on gin After Eight mints and eaten lashings of gin curry. We’ve had lemon tart with gin, gin pasta and even gin milkshakes. But this is a new one for us – prawn scampi in gin and tonic batter. Once again, our dear friend gin plays a starring role in the delightfully light and crispy batter that make these prawns so crisp and crunchy. Plus, we share our recipe for a delicate lemon mayonnaise which perfectly complements the crispy gin and tonic batter and juicy prawns, This is one you might want to try at home. It’s easy to make and absolutely delicious.
This recipe will serve two people comfortably. We’ll leave the chips to you.
Prawn scampi in gin and tonic batter (with lemon mayonnaise)
Ingredients:
300g of raw prawns, shelled and de-veined
200g plain flour
75 ml gin
100 ml tonic
1 pinch of salt
Vegetable oil
For the lemon mayo:
2 egg yolks
1 tbspn Dijon mustard
300ml veg oil
Salt and pepper
1/2 lemon (juice only)
Garnish:
Coriander leaves
Sliced red chilli
Lime wedges
Method:
Pre-heat the fryer to 190c.
Whisk together the flour, gin, tonic and slat. Dip each prawn in the batter and fry for 1 minute.
Drain onto kitchen paper and season with salt.
Whisk together the egg yolks and mustard, slowly add the oil and then add the lemon juice.
To serve:
Place the prawns on a serving plate and drizzle over the lemon mayo.
Sprinkle over the coriander and chilli then dot with lime wedges.
Written by Steve (with a little help from Ruddles, the gin dog!)
Don’t forget to follow us on our facebook community page to join in the gin discussion.
Down a narrow, twisted alley in Barcelona’s ancient and atmospheric El Born barrio, lies a little bar dedicated to all things gin. It’s hard to find if you don’t know where you’re going, but it’s well worth the effort once you find it. In the city that reinvented gin for the 21st century, Dux Bar … Continued
Notes from a gin dog In the latest edition of the Ruddles gin report, our faithful gin dog has been sniffing out some news that you might find ginteresting. Winter is not his favourite time of year and lockdown hasn’t helped. He’s been keeping himself busy scouring the world’s media for the gin stories you … Continued
We stumbled across a lovely little gin the other day. It’s from right here in Catalunya and frankly it was too good for us not to share. Go nuts! Introducing NUT gin, craft-distilled in the Emporda region of Catalunya nestled between the rugged drama of the Pyrenean mountains and the cooling breezes of the Mediterranean … Continued
Many of us will have heard of the legendary Moscow Mule. It’s a classic cocktail and it’s been around forever. It is a cocktail made with vodka, spicy ginger beer, and lime juice, garnished with a slice or wedge of lime. The Moscow Mule is generally served in copper mugs and is one of the simplest and … Continued
What a lovely lemon tart this is! Are you looking for a simple recipe for a gorgeous gin and tonic tart, drizzled with G&T syrup? If so, this might be the one for you. This little beauty is bursting with citrusy goodness and calls for a double-dose of gin for that extra kick. This easy dessert packs a real gin punch. In fact, most of the ingredients for this easy gin lemon tart recipe are probably in your fridge already, so no need to get anything exotic. You can use any basic London Dry gin for this recipe, but you might also want to raise the game a little. Lemon flavoured gins such as Malfy Lemon or Lone Wolf Cloudy Lemon gin (from the folks at Brewdog) can be a nice alternative if you want to boost the lemoniness. Cooking with gin is a whole new world for gin fans and a great way to impress your friends with your creative talents.
One for the chef…
And remember, for every measure of gin that ends up going into the tart, there should always be an extra one for the chef. Drizzle that G&T syrup over the sweet, tangy tart for the perfect ending. So, let’s get this party started.
Gin and Tonic lemon tart recipe
Ingredients:
Pastry:
200g of plain, sifted flour
1/4 cup sifted icing sugar
75g of chilled, unsalted butter (chopped into a cube)
Zest of one lemon
1 egg yolk
1/4 cup of cold tonic water
Tart filling:
2 eggs
150 mls of cream
80g caster sugar
zest of one lemon
juice of 2-3 lemons to 100 ml
30 ml of gin
G&T syrup:
75g of caster sugar
125 ml tonic water
zest of one lemon
30ml gin (again!)
3 juniper berries, lightly bruised
Method:
Pastry:
Add flour and icing sugar to the bowl of a food processor and combine
Add lemon zest and butter and pulse until mixture combines
Remove from food processor and wrap in plastic wrap
Place in fridge for 30 minutes
Preheat oven to 180c and lightly grease 8×10 cm loose bottom mini tart tins
Roll out pastry until 5 mm thick and cut circles that are 2 cm wider than the tart tin
Line each tin and trim excess pastry
Chill for 15 minutes before lining with baking paper and filling with pastry weights
Bake for 10 minutes before removing weights
Bake for 5 minutes more or until golden brown
Set aside
Tart filling:
For the filling, which together the eggs, caster sugar, lemon zest and juice
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